OUR POLICIES
Harvest Point Church operates across social media platform, and will on occasion utilise these platforms to communicate with our leadership team, volunteers, members of our church, and the broader community. This policy is about how we and those affiliated with our church should use those platforms to reflect Jesus well to those we communicate with whether directly or indirectly. Harvest Point supports kindness and compassion in all that we do, honouring an individuals right to be treated with dignity and respect. Read below for our full Harvest Point Church Anti-Cyberbullying Policy.
Intent:
Harvest Point Church (hereafter referred to as Harvest Point) is committed to providing a safe, welcoming and respectful environment for everyone who engages with our church, ministries and community services. As a Christian organisation, we believe every person should be treated with dignity, respect and care. This expectation applies to our online interactions as well as our physical environments. This policy provides guidance for preventing and responding to cyberbullying, online harassment and other harmful digital behaviour involving members of the Harvest Point community.
Who we are
Harvest Point is a not for profit church that exists in the Scenic Rim, offering services across Logan and Scenic Rim districts
Our office is situated in Gleneagle Australia at 25 Walker Rd, Gleneagle Qld 4285.
Our phone number is +61 7 5543 1466.
Our email address is admin@harvestpointinc.com
Our ABN is 79 400 419 737.
Scope
This policy refers to all Harvest Point Committee of Management members (hereafter referred to as COM) employees, contractors, volunteers, students/interns, church members, potential church members and visitors. This policy also applies to all Harvest Point Church Australian Locations, our online store, and Harvest Care.
Restrictions
This policy is intended to address cyberbullying, online harassment and harmful online behaviour. It does not prevent people from respectfully expressing different opinions, raising concerns, providing feedback or making complaints. A disagreement or criticism is not, by itself, considered cyberbullying. Concerns should be raised through appropriate channels rather than through personal attacks, public shaming or harmful online behaviour.
This policy should be read alongside Harvest Point Church’s other policies and procedures.
Exclusions: Nil
Objectives
To provide a safe and respectful environment for people participating in Harvest Point activities, both online and in person.
To establish clear expectations for appropriate online communication and behaviour.
To prevent cyberbullying, online harassment, threats, intimidation, public shaming and other harmful digital behaviour.
To provide a clear process for reporting and responding to concerns.
To ensure concerns involving children and young people are managed in accordance with Harvest Point's safeguarding requirements and relevant legislation.
To encourage communication, reconciliation and conflict resolution in a manner consistent with our Christian values.
To protect the wellbeing, dignity and safety of our church community, volunteers, employees, participants and visitors.
Policy Provisions
Christian Conduct
Harvest Point believes that our communication should reflect the character of Christ. We are called to love others, speak truthfully and treat people with dignity, grace and respect, including when we disagree.
Where appropriate, Harvest Point encourages people to address interpersonal concerns directly and privately, consistent with the biblical principle outlined in Matthew 18:15.
This principle does not prevent a person from reporting a safeguarding concern, abuse, threat, criminal conduct or other serious matter to an appropriate person or authority. A person should not be expected to directly approach another individual where doing so may place them or someone else at further risk.
What is Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is bullying or harmful behaviour carried out through digital technology. It may involve repeated behaviour intended to intimidate, humiliate, threaten, isolate or cause distress to another person.
Examples may include:
repeatedly sending abusive, threatening or humiliating messages;
publicly mocking, shaming or targeting an individual;
spreading rumours, lies or harmful information about another person;
deliberately excluding or encouraging others to exclude someone from online groups;
creating or sharing content intended to ridicule, intimidate or harm another person;
impersonating another person to cause harm;
encouraging others to target or harass an individual;
sharing private information, photographs or recordings without appropriate consent;
threatening to release private or embarrassing information; or
using Harvest Point communication channels to attack, intimidate or harass another person.
Cyberbullying may involve children, young people or adults and may occur between peers or where there is a power imbalance.
Online Behaviour
Everyone involved with Harvest Point is expected to:
communicate respectfully and considerately;
treat others with dignity, including when disagreeing;
avoid gossip, personal attacks, ridicule and public shaming;
respect the privacy of others;
obtain appropriate consent before sharing personal information, photographs or recordings;
avoid posting content that is threatening, discriminatory, defamatory, abusive or otherwise harmful;
use Harvest Point social media pages, groups and communication channels appropriately;
raise concerns through appropriate channels rather than using public or online platforms to attack individuals; and
comply with all relevant Harvest Point policies and procedures.
Children and Young People
Harvest Point is committed to providing safe physical and online environments for children and young people.
Adults involved in ministry, programs and activities must maintain appropriate boundaries when communicating with children and young people online and must comply with Harvest Point's Safe Church and child protection requirements.
Any concern involving the online safety, wellbeing or protection of a child or young person must be reported in accordance with Harvest Point's safeguarding procedures. Depending on the circumstances, this may include notifying a parent or carer, Harvest Point's designated safeguarding contact, Queensland Police, Child Safety or another appropriate authority.
Reporting Concerns
Anyone who experiences, witnesses or becomes aware of cyberbullying or harmful online behaviour involving the Harvest Point community is encouraged to report the concern to a pastor, staff member, ministry leader or designated safeguarding contact.
Where possible, relevant evidence should be retained, including screenshots, messages, emails, links, dates and other information that may assist with responding to the concern.
Reports will be treated respectfully and information will be handled as confidentially as reasonably possible. Confidentiality cannot be guaranteed where information needs to be shared to protect someone from harm, meet legal obligations or properly investigate a concern.
Responding to Concerns
Harvest Point will assess reported concerns and respond in a manner appropriate to the circumstances.
Depending on the nature and seriousness of the behaviour, Harvest Point may:
speak with the people involved;
provide pastoral support;
request the removal of harmful content from Harvest Point-managed platforms;
restrict or remove access to Harvest Point social media groups or communication channels;
implement appropriate safety or communication boundaries;
refer the matter to an appropriate ministry leader or COM;
manage the matter under another relevant Harvest Point policy or procedure; or
refer the matter to Police, Child Safety, eSafety or another appropriate authority.
Where a concern involves an employee or volunteer, it may also be managed under relevant employment, volunteer, grievance, disciplinary or Work Health and Safety procedures.
Serious or Criminal Conduct
Threats of violence, stalking, sexual abuse or exploitation, image-based abuse, child abuse, extortion, serious harassment or other potentially criminal conduct must be treated seriously and may be reported to Police or another relevant authority.
Church processes do not replace legal reporting obligations or the role of government authorities.
Retaliation
Harvest Point does not tolerate retaliation against a person who raises a genuine concern, supports someone who has made a report or participates in an investigation.
Privacy and Confidentiality
Harvest Point will handle information relating to reported concerns in accordance with its Privacy Policy and relevant legal requirements.
Information will only be shared with people who need to know in order to respond appropriately, protect a person from harm, meet legal obligations or manage an investigation.
Changes to this Anti-Cyberbullying Policy
Harvest Point may amend this Anti-Cyberbullying Policy from time to time so that it reflects current law. Please check our website regularly to keep up to date with any changes.
Contacting Us
If you would like to contact us about any matter relating to this policy, or about the way we’ve handled online interactions, or if you believe that Harvest Point has been involved in cyberbullying in any way or has breached this Anti-Cyberbullying Policy in any way, then we’d love you to let us know by the following means: Addressing your enquiry or complaint to the Compliance Officer:
Email: admin@harvestpointinc.com
Phone: +61 75543 1466 or
Address: Harvest Point Church 25 Walker Road, Gleneagle Qld 4285